Postal History

Railroad mail

Railway Mail

On July 7, 1838, Congress approved an act that declared all United States railroads as post roads.  This would lead to a dramatic increase in the use of railroads to deliver mail.

V-Mail

Start of V-Mail Service

On June 15, 1942, the Post Office Department inaugurated its V-Mail service.  During World War II, letters bound for service personnel were photographed and transferred to microfilm.  This special process enabled letters to take up a fraction of their usual space on planes going to war zones, allowing more room for crucial supplies.